Downtown Millburn braces for oil tank work

Parking is prohibited and traffic limited to two lanes as workers prepare to excavate an abandoned oil tank from under the sidewalk on Millburn Avenue in front of the Bowtie Cinema.

As if construction on the Glen Avenue bridge isn't causing enough headaches for motorists traveling though Millburn, excavation work begins today in front of the Millburn Cinema on Millburn Avenue that will restrict traffic to two lanes and temporarily close on-street parking on much of the block.

Earlier this month, the Millburn Fire Department was called to the area to investigate fuel oil seeping up through the sidewalk in front of a small alley next to the theater building. The Nutley HazMat team was called, along with representatives of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

According to Millburn Fire Chief Michael Roberts, the HazMat team that evening pumped out approximately 2,000 gallons of oil and ground water from an abandoned underground oil tank.

Alex McDonald, the township's assistant business administrator, told The Item this week the DEP will oversee the removal of the abandoned tank. The process is expected to take most of today, but McDonald could not say how long it would be before the site would be refilled and the sidewalk and curbing repaired. He explained the DEP will want to test the soil under the sidewalk to determine if contamination was caused by the tank.

In the meanwhile, parking will be prohibited on both sides of Millburn Avenue as far back as the exits to municipal parking lots 4 and 5. There will be two open lanes of traffic passing the site. Police will be on duty and Jersey barriers will be installed to keep pedestrians away from the excavation.

Township officials said the removal is responsibility of the building owner. The Millburn Cinema currently operates as a Bowtie Cinema. Calls to a Bowtie Cinema representative for comment were not returned by press time.